Allen West: Democrats 'Scapegoat' Tea Party Movement

Rep. Allen West said Tuesday Democratic leaders “scapegoat” the tea party movement because they don’t want to accept responsibility for soaring unemployment and a sinking economy.

“Well, I think what you see happening is the liberal progressive side is following the playbook of Saul Alinsky's ‘Rules for Radicals,’” the Florida Republican said, referring to a book written by a well-known, left-wing community organizer. “And I think it’s rule number 13, where they say pick a target, freeze it, isolate it, and attack it — because they really don’t want to accept responsibility for the failed economic policies of this president.

“In under three years, when you look at the debt, the deficit, the job situation — that it’s not going anywhere — they have to have someone to scapegoat,” West told Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren. “And the ones that they figure are the best ones to scapegoat is the tea party movement.”

Van Susteren asked West about comments made last week by Indiana Rep. Andre Carson, who is also Congressional Black Caucus whip, that tea party members would like to see black Americans hanging from a tree.

“Look, I was born and raised in Georgia, and we don’t need to conjure up those type of images,” said West, the only GOP member of the caucus. “And anyone that doesn’t understand what the tea party is about — effective and efficient constitutional government, fiscal responsibility, national security, free market, free enterprise — that’s it.

“And if you don’t agree with that, then I have to ask you: What do you really believe is what made America in 235 years? It’s not about [a] big government bureaucratic nanny state,” he said. “You think about how the conversation in Washington, D.C., has changed in a year from a $2 trillion healthcare policy and plan to now we’re talking about how much more can we cut back on spending and the growth of the federal government? That’s a threat to people that believe in the big government.”